A Māori war canoe being paddled a full speed is an awesome sight. Thanks to the renaissance in canoe building, more and more traditional waka taua are on the waterways, and feature in major events like the Queen’s Jubilee.
Waka Taua gives a concise introduction to all aspects of the war canoe: its history, recent revival, types and variants, phase of building, parts of the waka, crew responsibilities and paddling techniques.
With numerous historical and contemporary photographs and drawings, this easy-to-read book is the perfect reference for these amazing craft.
Praise for the first edition of Waka Taua:
‘What a valuable and timely book, there being something of a rebirth in canoe
building at present’ – Northern Advocate
‘It is Evans’ passion for his subject that makes this book special’ –
Weekend Herald
‘… has value and merit for all those interested in the history of waka
taua’ – Hirini Melbourne, Waikato Times
Author Biography
Jeff Evans is a well-known writer and photographer who works for leading clients in New Zealand and overseas. An authority on Maori canoes, Jeff is also the author of Polynesian Navigation and the Discovery of New Zealand, Nga Waka oNehera: The first voyaging canoes and Maori Weapons in Pre-European New Zealand, and editor of Elsdon Best’s Notes on the Art of War.